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ACI EUROPE Airside Safety Survey 2009
The 2009 survey of ACI EUROPE member airports is a comprehensive guide to airside operations. The data yields common trends and distinguishes the different airside practices in areas such as winter services, friction testing, crash fire rescue, FOD detection, bird control and safety management systems.
Airfield & Winter Services Articles
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July, 2010ICAO’s Task Force seeking runway friction harmonisation
The International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Friction Task Force is currently applying the finishing touches to revising the global provisions on runway surface friction measurement and reporting. Ryan Ghee spoke to Joseph Cheong, technical officer, Aerodromes Section, Air Navigation Bureau, ICAO.
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July, 2010Winter services and wildlife management
Winter services and the detection of Foreign Object Debris (FOD) are two critical areas of airport operation and following the harsh weather conditions that were experienced across much of Europe last winter, the planning process is already well underway for the 2010/2011 winter season. Ryan Ghee reports.
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July, 2010Radar technology dramatically improves runway debris detection
Two of the most dramatic aviation incidents in recent years have highlighted the dangers posed to airlines by bird strikes and runway debris. The Concorde tragedy of 2000 in which 113 passengers were killed, was caused by a titanium strip, no larger than a school ruler, which lay undetected on the runway. This strip burst Concorde’s rear tyres, fragments of which subsequently punctured the aircraft’s fuel tank causing a catastrophic explosion.
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October, 2009Solar power: the next safe solution for runway lighting?
Efficiencies in solar and solar LED lighting - widely used at military and remote airfields - continues to advance and support a growing number of commercial airports for specific runway applications. Louise Driscoll spoke to a UK airport using the technology, an airline pilot and a leading supplier of solar power to assess how it could light the way to enhancing safety at airports.
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October, 2009Runway friction standards: finding a workable solution
Developing standards for assessing levels of runway friction is still a work in progress. ICAO’s International Friction Task Force and the FAA’s Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment Aviation Rulemaking Committee (TALPA ARC) are currently engaged in standardising condition reporting towards the ICAO designations of good/medium/poor/nil runway condition assessments. Louise Driscoll reports.
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June, 2009Newcastle completes runway resurfacing ahead of schedule
Newcastle International Airport completed its £6 million (€7m) runway resurfacing project in March, five weeks ahead of schedule. Louise Driscoll spoke with Chris Davis, Newcastle’s head of operations, about the industry best practices taken to ensure the project’s success.
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June, 2009Unique bird strike avoidance system
Bird Raptor Internacional, SL will present its Falco Robot ‘GBRS’ (gregarious bird removal system) at the 200 ISBC Europe Congress in York (UK) as an innovative, long-term solution to the problem of birds at airfields.
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June, 2009New orders for Elephant de-icers
Since 1962, Vestergaard Company A/S has been designing, manufacturing and marketing state-of-the-art ground service vehicles for all aircraft, from small commuter planes to the largest commercial aircraft. Today, the company focuses on de-icing and units for toilet and water servicing of aircraft. With its Elephant family of de-icers: the Beta, Beta-15, Gamma, MY and a series of small, compact de-icers and range of toilet and water service units, Vestergaard can meet the full range of any customers’ requirements.
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October, 2008EASA’s working group to promote aviation ‘safety culture’
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) launched the voluntary European Strategic Safety Initiative (ESSI) to meet its commitments to sustaining and improving air safety. EASA’s safety analysis and research department has conducted studies and made recommendations for aviation safety in Europe and worldwide. Louise Driscoll spoke with John Vincent, Head of Safety Analysis and Research, to report on the progress of its latest studies.
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October, 2008QinetiQ’s FOD detection technology implemented at Heathrow
London’s Heathrow, one of the world’s most congested airports, has been using QinetiQ’s revolutionary FOD (foreign objects and debris) radar detection system – Tarsier – on its southern runway since February. Louise Driscoll talks to Dr Dominic Walker, QinetiQ’s product development director, to report on its progress and the need for developing compliance for FOD detection technology in future.
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June, 2008France leads the way with state-of-the-art Airport fire training centre
The French Training Centre of Airport Firemen (C2FPA) was inaugurated on 29 October 2007. Located 300km south of Paris, next to Châteauroux-Déols airport, it is a one-of-a-kind facility in Europe, which offers the latest materials and equipment, advanced educational methods and resources, and highly qualified and experienced teaching staff. The organisation is approved by the DGAC (French Civil Aviation Authorities).
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February, 2008Ultima - ensuring compliance of bird control data records
Scarecrow’s Ultima is a Bio-acoustic bird control unit that autonomously collates compliant data records of any bird control activity. It centres on a vehicle-mounted Tablet PC, GPS receiver and a bio-acoustic processor unit, containing the distress calls of 14 species, loaded to the airports specification. Scarecrow has supplied Ultima to several airports, including Delhi International and Christchurch International, in the 10 months since its launch.
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